Bits of news here and there suggest that not all Israels support the Lebanon invasion, and there have also been active protests in New York City by joint Arab and Israel groups. Not everyone finds the killing fields that Lebanon, Gaza, and Israel has become, involving as it does innocent civilians and children, justified.
The First Refuseniks.
posted by max blumenthal, Monday, July 31, 2006
Opposition to war is building within Israeli society in the wake of the Olmert government's war crimes in Qana. Ten Israeli soldiers have signed up with Yesh Gvul to become refuseniks and one has already accepted a 28 day jail sentence. Meanwhile, according to Ha'aretz, hundreds of high-profile Israeli academics and political figures have signed petitions calling for a ceasefire:
One petition, which collected more than 200 signatures within a few hours yesterday, was organized by Haifa resident Orit Ben Artzi. It calls for a cease-fire and the opening of negotiations.
In addition, more than 600 people, including Israeli professors and senior Meretz party officials, have signed an international petition calling for an immediate, unconditional cease-fire in Lebanon, Gaza and the West Bank. Among the signatories to this petition are former Meretz MKs Naomi Chazan and Mussi Raz - though the latter has meanwhile obeyed an emergency call-up order for army reserve duty.
http://maxblumenthal.blogspot.com/
1,500 march across the Brooklyn Bridge for Lebanon and Palestine.
An ad-hoc coalition press release, by David Bloom, July 29, 2006
1500 Protesters March Across the Brooklyn Bridge in Solidarity With the Palestinian and Lebanese People
New York, NY - 1500 members of the New York community, horrified at the senseless killing of Palestinians and Lebanese by the Israeli military, marched across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan today to demand an end to the violence.
The Israeli military has killed nearly 200 Palestinians in a matter of weeks, including dozens of children. In less than two weeks in Lebanon, Israel has killed nearly 500 Lebanese and made one million more refugees in their own country. In both Palestine and Lebanon, Israel has targeted civilian infrastructure, such as power plants, roads, factories, schools, airports, and bridges.
The march was organized by a coalition of community organizations, which announced that they would hold further activities in the coming days. These include the ANSWER Coalition, International Action Center, Network of Arab-American Professionals of NY-PC, the International Solidarity Movement - NYC, the New York Campaign for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions, the International Socialist Organization, ADC New York Chapter, Action Wednesdays Against War, Jews Against the Occupation - NYC, WESPAC Foundation, NYC Labor Against the War, The US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation.
http://ww4report.com/...
Israeli filmakers protest war on Lebanon, Palestine.
A letter from Israeli filmmakers to Palestinian and Lebanese filmmakers
Israeli Filmmakers - Submitted by David Bloom, Friday, 21 July 2006.
We, the undersigned Israeli filmmakers, greet the Arab filmmakers who have gathered in Paris for the Arab Film Biennial. Through you, we wish to convey a message of camaraderie and solidarity with our Lebanese and Palestinian colleagues who are currently besieged and bombarded by our country's army.
We unequivocally oppose the brutality and cruelty of Israeli policy, which has reached new heights in recent weeks. Nothing justifies the continued occupation, closure, and oppression in Palestine. Nothing justifies the bombing of civilians and the destruction of infrastructures in Lebanon and Gaza.
http://ww4report.com/...